Circular multi-feed hosiery knitting machine and method of knitting



G. E. HART ETAL 2,785,553 CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED HOSIERY KNITTING March 19, 1957 MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31. 1955 il-ii u? INVENTORS; -GENE E. HART and HOWARD E METCALF ATTORNEYS.

G. E. HART TAL CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING March 19, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1955 GENE E HART and How/mu E METcALF.

INVENTORS.

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ATTORNEYS- March 19, 1957 H ET AL CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1955 INVENTORS GENE E. HART and HOWARD F METcALF.

ATTORNEYS.

March 19,1957 a. E. HART ETAL CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING 5 sheets-sheet 4 I INVENTORS. GENE E. HART and HOWARD F METCHLF. BY (27m, *1 M Filed May 31, l955 ATTORNEYS.

' March 9 G. E. HART ET AL 2,785,553

CIRCU MU FEED HOSIElgflIgII 8G MA NE METHOD OF Filed May 31, 1955 5 Sheets$heet 5 I56 '55 552/ I58 23 2Zi *v w I INVENTORST GENE E. HART and How/mo FT METCALF.

ATTORNEYS.

niain feeding staflon.

This invention" relates to cimmar knitting machines and more espeeia'nytd a cirular'muiti feed' knitting chine adapted fokriit from a IJlur'ality of feedingstzitions duri rotary knitting;

Heretofore'the're' hai e been attern' its to make m'ultifeed Knitting machine's us'ing" two ermore feeds to thus increase the speed Ofknit'ting such articles as"ladies finegauge hosiery, 'bu't heretofore" the second or; auxiliary yarn in: the rnulti-feed set-up has been supplied by an auxiliary finger placed between the latch ring and needles which interferes with the normal free operation of the latches on the latch needlesin the needle cylinder.

It "is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a multi -feed circular knitting machine which fias'a mainor primary feeding station cornp'risitiga throat opening havinga throatplate and ga closer for closing the t hr'dat" during reeiprscatery knitting" as well as an auxiliary feeding" station comprising a throatopening'liaving a thr'ba't filateand gap closer for cldsing the auxiliary throat" d rin reciprec'atery knitting; to thus provide a sii'iodtliinner race'ag'ainsfwlii'ch the latches of the latch needles-may rideduringf reciprocatory "knittirigl It is another'eb ilia'ry feeding s'ta ionwith the thrda't'cut intlie' latch ring inltl'ie Sarii Ihihfi'er'as the ihi'bat" at thei'naii'i feeding sends.

A iie'jefdle fiisiri'g car'n and a needle lowering'cam form an auxiliary" stitching S'tiifidr'l s aced below the A feeding stations apart from the main stitch carn's includiligi tli top-center stitiill cant the'righf and left hand s'titch' earns. Th "rfiiiinstitch camsare spateedbemwthe auxiliary stitcliihg: camsheluding ure needlerarsi car'n" are niovalile ra iauy' intoand' out of engagement witlr'the needle'cylinder;

If is another object of this invention to'provide a means and ni'etlioddf intfoducing'warn' 'attlie' auxiliary jecit of-this invention to firovide an auX- United States PatentO 2,785,553 Patented Mar. 19, 1957 2 Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation lookingsubstanti'ally along the line 5-5 in Figure 4; V

Figure 6 is a plan viewof the sinker cap removed from theknitting machine;

Figure 7 is an enlarged transverse vertical" sectional view taken substantially along the line 7- 7i I Figure 8 is a somewhat schematic develop (1 Yiewbf the cams surrounding the needle cylinder and taken as if looking outwardly from the needle'cylinder and showing thepath of travel of the needles during circular kni g; Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 ere-est showing the path of travel of the needles during reciprecatory knitting; y v, w .s

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view, at an enlarged scale, and being taken substantially along the'line10- 10 Fi i v v A m Figure 11 is an enlarged vertical sect a1 view through theauxiliary stitch cam block and being taknsubs'tantially along the line 11-11 in Figure 5; H

Figure 12 is an enlarged vertical sectionalviewtalcen through" the auxiliary stitch car'n' block arid beingtaken substantially along the line 12'-12 in Figure 5 I, Figure 13 is a somewhat schematicsectionalplan" of the needlecyli'nder and showing theari'an'g'erfie' of the needles in the needle cylinder accordifigtothe length of the Butts thereon; 4 h v, V a

Figure 14 is a perspective rear vieviiof the ladies hose as itappea'rs on the wearers leg; K

Figure 15 is an enlargedr ragrnentaryfv" h'at portionof the hose indicated by 'th otte rectangle 15 in Fig'ure 14 and showing where jthea 'iliary yarn feeding finger and the auxiliary stitch Qa'rns'ar'e mbved intooperation. s g

Referring more specifically to 'thefdrawifigsg the numeral' indicates the bed plate" of a conventio 1 Circamand" the needle loWe n prevents" holes anaeaf-e'yes'beingformed in thefab'ric whenthisauxiliary yarn feeding finger is ni'dvedinto feeding pjosition.- Th'isnovel method of starting to knit with the auxiliary yarmfeed finger is made possible By thela'rra'nge'rnent of needle" butts at varying lengths in the invention'applied'tlieretog' Figure 2is"a;ftagmentary rear elevation of the knitting Figtirel;

Figure" 3' tea sectional plan-view taken substantially Figdrew 'is a fragmentarysectional lan view talie substantially aldng'tlieline' 4= 4in Figural;

- machine-' 'being taken substantially alongthe' line 2= 2in -ring 31.

cylinde'rfincluding a jack raising cam fl' cular knitting machine having the usual earn bed plate 21" (Figures 4, 11 and 12) fixedly secured heretoas well as the conventional bevel gear 22 for driyingthe" needle cylinder 23. A sock horn 25 extends up re y into the he'dpla'te 2i) and has conventional' rnean Plb idEd therewith to raise and lower the needle cyh de'r tdproiduce longer or shorter stitches in a conventional masher; The knitting machine is also provided with thelusiial sinker cap iid; a latch ring 31, the t1s ua1,dial32(Figur 3) and: gearing 34 (Figure 1) for s rengt s dial"32, in making the usual turned welt ot the ladies" hose. The latch ring31 is supportedat its rear end'on a sufifaort post33i- I The knitting machine is also prdvided Willie conventionalinain pattern drum dllon which'the low l endsOf a plurality of thrust bars 41 rest and thel'ip p as of whichare adapted to engage a plurality of conventional yarn teeding fingers 42 (Figures 1 3, {land memes are pivotally mounted on an upstanding ior'tion Ldn 'thelatch I g A heavy Weight or denier imainfjyarn MH (Figures 8 and 9) is fed to one of theyarn feeding fingers 42 foruse in knitting the welt, heel and toeof'the hose H (Figure 14) and a light weight main yarnML is fed to'another of the yarn feeding fingerls 4z f f ojr use in :;knittingtheleg and foot of the hose I-I. Theflatchj ring 31 is also provided with a main throat 44- 1iavmgza throat plate 45 (Figures 8 and 9). The knittin'gmachinejis also provided with the usual widening pick 50 (Figures 11,8 and 9) which is pivotally mounted .on a burit'er post 51,

--the lower end of which is suitably secured'to the bed plate 26}; The widening pickStl 'is adapted tofat times nest in a fixed guide cam 60 suitably secured on the hunter post 51. g

plurality of fixed needle earns encircle the needle Ei' xe; 5 211161 9); a first fixed cam segment "62, a s ec0 d{ ca g mint- '63; res iective right-hand and left-hand hardened cams 64 and 65, an auxiliary hardened cam 66 and a jack gate 67. The usual stitch cams are provided, including a top center stitch cam 70, respective right and left stitch cams 71 and 72 'aswell as a bottom center cam 73. A pair of conventional narrowing picks i and 76 are connected by a link 77 (Figure 4) and work in conjunction with the respective right-hand and left-hand stitch cams 71 and 72.

Among the conventional movable cams around the needle cylinder are included a switch needle lowering cam 80, a switch needle raising cam 81, a needle transfer cam 82 and a pair of needle raising and lowering cams 83 and 84 which are used in the make-up to start a new hose. The pair of switch cams 80 and 81 are used in switching part of the needles in the needle cylinder into and out of action in making the toe and heel pockets during reciprocatory knitting in a conventional manner.

, The transfer cam 82 is used when transferring from knitting on the dial needles, not shown, to knit stitches with the cylinder needles N.- The cams shown in Figures 8 and 9 are adapted to operate conventional needle jacks indicated at I.

The sinker cap partially encloses a sinker bed 90 (Figure 7) which is fixedly secured to the upper end of the needle cylinder 23 and has radial grooves therein for reception of conventional sinkers 91, the tail portions of which ride in a concentric groove 92 (Figures 6 and 7) in the sinker cap 30. The sinker cap 30 is provided with 'lugs 93 which have threadably embedded bunters 94 adapted to alternately engage opposite sides of the hunter post 51 as the sinker cap 30 is reciprocated during reciprocatory knitting. The concentric groove 92 in the sinker cap 30 is provided with an outwardly extending portion 95 which is invertical alinement with the top center cam 70 and is provided to move the sinkers outwardly radially of the needle cylinder when the yarn is being fed at the main throat 44 so that a main yarn will i be fed beneath the nibs of the sinkers 91 in a conventional manner.

All of the parts heretofore described are conventional in a Scott and Williams model K circular knitting machine, with the exception of the auxiliary hardened cam 66, and it is with these parts that the present invention is adapted to be associated.

The novel features of this invention include an auxiliary throat 100 cut in the latch ring 31 and the lower endof the throat 100 is closed by a throat plate 101 which is adapted to selectively support the inner lower ends of one of a pair of yarn feeding fingers 162 and 102a(Figures 3, 8, 9 and Although only two yarn feeding fingers 102 and 102a are shown in the throat 100, it is to be understood that any desired number of yarn feeding fingers could be mounted in the auxiliary throat 100 of the latch ring 31.

The auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 102 and 102a are I oscillatably mounted as at 104 (Figure 10) on upstanding portions 105 which are cast integral with the latch ring 31 adjacent opposite sides of the throat 160 and form a novel part of this invention. The yarn feeding fingers 102 and 102:: are resiliently urged into engagement with the throat plate 101 by a pair of springs 106, only one of which is shown, which springs extend from respective 1 yarn feeding fingers 102 and 1026: to the latch ring 31. The yarn feed fingers 102 and 102a are moved into and out of engagement with the throat plate 101 by a pair of cured in a bracket 111 fixed on the latch ring 31 (Figure 10).

The casings 110 and 110a pass downwardly (Figure l) through the bed plate and are bent upwardly and their endsremote from the bracket 111 are fixed in a bracket 115 mounted on the lower edge of the bed plate20 port 33 as at 141.

4 (Figures 2 and 4). The wires 107, 107a extend from the lower ends of the casings 110, a and are connected as at 116, 116a to the upper ends of respective thrust bars 117, 117a. The lower ends of the thrust bars 117, 117a are adapted to, at times, engage the outer periphery of the main pattern drum 40 and at other times to engage suitable segmental cams mounted thereon, not shown, for raising and lowering the respective wires 116, 116a. Vertical movement of the thrust bars 117, 117a will thus move the corresponding auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 102, 102a into and out of feeding position in the throat 100.

Another of the novel features of this invention is the novel means for closing the main throat 44 as well as the auxiliary throat 100 by a pair of gap closing plates 120, 121 which operate together to close the respective throats 44 and 100 simultaneously during reciprocatory knitting (Figures 8 and 9). This feature is important in that it makes possible a further increase in the production of high speed knitting machines which produce such articles as ladies fine-gauge seamless hose.

Prior attempts to increase production by adding auxiliary feeding fingers for knitting the long leg portion of a ladies seamless hose two courses at a time have failed because there has never been provided two throats in the latch ring and means for selectively closing these two throats to provide a smooth inner surface in the latch ring for the latches of the inoperative or raised needles to ride against. Without the two gap closing plates 120, 121, the latches of the raised or inoperative needles tend to fly outwardly by centrifugal force during high speed operation and may become bent or broken when they engage the open throats heretofore provided.

The gap closers 120, 121 are slidably mounted in a groove 123 in the latch ring 31 (Figures 8, 9 and 10) and are prevented from upward movement out of the groove 123 by a pair of hold down plates 125 and 126 which are secured on the latch ring and overlie the groove 123. Each of the gap closers 120, 121 is provided with an upwardly and outwardly extending tail portion 130 (Figure 10) in which the lower ends of upstanding pins 131 are embedded, the upper ends of which are fastened to a connecting link 132 which extends between the pins 131. The connecting link 132 has a plate 135 adjustably mounted thereon in which an upstanding pin 136 is fixedly secured.

The pin 136 is engaged by a gap actuating control rod 137 (Figures 3, 8 and 9) which extends away from the latch ring 31 and to the left of the machine in Figures 1 and 3 and is oscillatably mounted on the upper leg of a crank arm pivotally mounted on the latch ring sup- A yarn guide plate 138 is spaced above the latch ring 30 and supported on an upstanding post 139 for guiding auxiliary light and heavy weight yarns AL and AH to the respective auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 102, 102a through suitable yarn guides in the plate 138.

The lower leg of the bell crank 140 is adapted to be engaged by a bracket 142, fixed on a thrust bar 143, the lower end of which is adapted to at times engage the outer periphery of the pattern drum 40 and at other times to engage segmental cams placed thereon, not shown, for raising and lowering the thrust bar 143. When the lower end of the thrust bar 143 is engaged by one of the segmental cams on the main pattern drum 40 the thrust bar 143 will be raised upwardly to thus rotate 'the bell crank 140 (Figure l) in a counterclockwise direction to thus move the gap closing plates 120, 121 from left to right in Figure 8 or to the position shown in Figure 9 and close the respective 111108118 44, 100. A spring 145 (Figures 1 and 3), which is fixed at one end to the latch ring 31 and at the opposite end to the upper end of the crank 140, urges the bell crank 140 in a clockwise direction to thus move the control rod 137 along with the gap closing plates 120, 121 from r ight to left in Figure 9 or drawn position. courses with one of the main yarn feed fingers 42 in operation and with the leading course of the fabric begreases iliary hardened cam 66 in Figure 8. The left-hand stitch cam 72 lowers the needles N along a path P-11 (Figure 8) to form stitches with the yarn ML so that two courses are formed with each revolution of the needle cylinder 23.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the varying lengths of needle butts in the needle cylinder 23 is important in inserting and removing the auxiliary stitch cams 150, 151. This is also a novel feature of this invention since it provides a means of removing the auxiliary yarn in action which insures that there are no holes or cat-eyes in the fabric at the juncture where the auxiliary yarn starts to feed to make an additional course in the fabric.

As shown in Figure 13, the needle cylinder is preferably divided into six sections; sections A, B, C, D, E, and F, and, in a five hundred needle knitting machine, for example, there would be substantially two hundred fifty long butt needles indicated at LN in section A Section B preferably comprises sixty medium butt needles indicated at MN, section C preferably comprises twenty short butt needles indicated at SN, section D preferably comprises twenty medium butt needles indicated at MN, section B preferably comprises twenty short butt needles indicated at SN and section F preferably comprises 130 medium butt needles indicated at MN. The sections B, C, D, E and F preferably comprise approximately half the distance around the needle cylinder and are the needles on which the heel and toe pockets of the hose are knit.

The stocking or hose H shown in Figure 14 includes a double thickness turned welt 210 and a single thickness shadow welt 211, a leg portion 212, a heel pocket 213, a

foot portion 214 and a toe pocket 215. The enlarged fragmentary view of the fabric shown in Figure 15 which is taken at the start of the foot portion 214 illustrates in the seven courses C1 through C6 and in the wales illustrated at W-1 through W-48 how the two yarns are introduced after knitting a single feed knit heel pocket with a relatively heavy denier yarn to a knit two-feed foot portion .with a finer denier yarn. Figure 15 also illustrates how the yarn is introduced to add an additional course without forming a hole or cat-eye in the fabric. In Figure 15 the wales W-7 to W43 are omitted since they would be identical to the wales W-44 and W-45.

In operation, the machine starts to knit a hose on bare needles using one of the main yarn feed fingers 42 and with the auxiliary stitch cams 150, 151 as well as the auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 102, 102a being in with- This make-up consists of four to eight ing held on the dial needles and hooks so that the fabric may be knit for any desired length. The top edge of the fabric is held on the dial needles and is subsequently transferred onto the cylinder needles to form a double thickness welt such as illustrated at 210 in a conventional manner.

The auxiliary yarn feed finger 1020 with the heavy denier yarn AH is moved into operative position after the first four to eight courses and the auxiliary stitch cams 150, 151, as well as the sinker retraction cam 200 are moved into position to start feeding the auxiliary yarn AH to thus knit two courses with each revolution of the needle cylinder in a manner to be more fully described. The welt 210 is thus knit with two-feed knitting as well as the shadow welt 211.

After knitting the shadow welt 211, the yarn feeding 'fingers 42 change in the main throat 44 so that a lighter or finer denier yarn ML is fed to the main throat plate 45. Also, the yarn feed finger 102 moves into engage- The with the knitting machine operating with theyarn MH being supplied from the main throat 44 only in a re ciprocatory manner. During reciprocatory knitting the gap closing plates 120, 121 are moved into operating or closed position as shown in Figure 9.

As the heel pocket 213 is being completed (Figure 15), the course 0-1 is made from left to right with a heavy denier yarn MH being fed by one of the yarn feeding fingers 42, the auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 102, 102a and the auxiliary stitch cams 150, 151 being out of operation. The next course C-2 is made with the needle cylinder traveling in the opposite direction or with the fabric being formed from right to left in Figure 15. The next succeeding course 06 is made from left to right in Figure 15 and it is during this course that yarn feeding fingers 42 change to remove the yarn MH and the lighter denier yarn ML is inserted for knitting alternate courses in the foot 214.

The light denier yarn ML is introduced with one of the main yarn feeding fingers 42 at the course C-3 and the needle wale W-3 (Figure 15). Thus two yarns ML and MH are fed to each of the needles in the wales W-3 through W-46 at course 03 to form stitches with both yarns to tie the leading end of the light yarn ML, from one of the main yarn feeding fingers 42, into the fabric before the heavy yarn MH is removed from the fabric at course C-3 and wale W-46. The next course 04 and the succeedingcourses are made with the machine moving in a continuous circular manner and forming the fabric from right to left in Figure 15 and it is in this course 04 that the auxilary yarn AL is added to start an additional course C-4a. Course 0-4 is the first circular course after making the heel pocket and this description will apply to the manner in which the yarn is introduced each time, since each time the auxiliary yarn is introduced, it is done in an identical manner.

During the first counterclockwise revolution of the needle cylinder 23 in making the first rotary course of the foot 214, the auxiliary yarn feeding finger 102 feeding the yarn AL is lowered as section B of the needle cylinder passes thereby and the needle raising cam is moved into engagement with the short butt needles in section C to raise the needles in section D and the remainder of the needles in sections E and F to take the auxiliary yarn AL in the hooks thereof. The needle lowering or auxiliary switch cam 151 is moved into engagement with the short butt needles in section B as they pass thereby to thus pull down the medium butt needles in section F along the path P-10, and allow the needles in section D and E to pass the stitch cam 151 without being lowered to thus lay the yarn in the books of these forty needles in sections D and E but not to form stitches with the same during this revolution but to start forming stitches with the needles in section F as they are lowered to pull the yarn through the loops previously formed in course C-3. The forty needles in which the yarn was laid in the hooks thereof in sections D and E but which was not knitted at the auxiliary yarn station then is knit with the yarn ML picked up from the main yarn feeding fingers 42 to form approximately forty wales in course (3-4 from both the main yarn ML and the auxiliary yarn AL from the wale W-6 to the wale W-46. A new course 0-4:: is begun at wale W-5 in Figure 15 with the yarn AL only and starting on the first medium butt needle MN in section F.

It is thus seen that the end of the yarn AL when introduced from the auxiliary yarn feeding finger is firmly anchored in the forty stitches preceding the new course C-4a and prevents a hole, open place or cat-eye from being formed between the wales W-S, W6 in course C-4 and subsequent courses as would have been formed had not this end been tied into the previously knit course. Thus, alternate courses in the two-feed knitting are supplied yarn from the main throat 44 and the auxiliary greases throat, ,lfifin This methodof knittingthe loose end of the {yarn ,AL; intoathe: ,next; succeeding, course also; ;pre vents sthetendt of the; *yarn; AL from, being unraveled after it is tnmmed'in the (finishing. operation.

Aften theifoottz ll =has been .-knit,.,the'. yarmAL may benemoved, from the tworfeed knitting operation to per, mit, .,knitting,,of the,. ,toe, pocket-U215 ,in a reciprlocatory manner, a single; feeding knitting, operation. The needle.,,'r,ai,sing. cam, is removed duringthe last circular courserwhile sectionzD-is passingthe auxiliary throat 160' andthe needle lbWeIlllgQfiIILlSI is removed as the last, needle raised: by the ,.cam. r 150. .is lowered, and ,the yatnfeedtfinger :102Qis raised The gapclosingflplates 1211,,1'21 areinioved finto positidnacross, the throats 44 i lilila d;thettoetpocketlis knit in a conventional manner yswitching ,thetlongflbuttneedles in section A up to take'the' yarn MH' from the thrfzat, 4,4 and the machine starts to reciprocate to knit" the toe, first with narrowing and thenmwideningzto complete 51116": sock. or. those.

It is thus sleenthat there has been provided a method and apparatus for knitting two 'feed s simultaneously duricircul-arjknittingwhichincludes. at least two improved g picloserssas nellas. at leas Rarate knittin w t tipns one of whjghis separate and, apart fromztthecmain conventional knitting station as well as a novel method of introducing auxiliafyiyarnt-tathegfabric which insures that, no l(,)os e;ends may pull out and no .holes or cat-eyes will a pear in tne'raur'ie knit in this manner with two feeds. Since alternate courses are knit with yarn from different yarn feeding fingers it is seen that this improved method of knitting is easily adaptable to knitting the new stretch yarns which are twisted in opposite directions.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a method of knitting seamless hosiery having a first portion knit from at least one first yarn and a second portion knit from at least one second yarn and at least one third yarn, the steps of knitting a plurality of courses solely from the first yarn during reciprocatory knitting to form said first portion, knitting a few stitches from the first and second yarns in a medial portion of the final course in the first portion, then continuing knitting solely from the second yarn to complete said final course, then commencing rotary knitting solely from the second yarn for a substantial part of another course, knitting a few stitches each from the second and third yarns and then knitting successive circular courses solely from the third yarn and solely from the second yarn in alternation.

2. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine which includes the steps of feeding a plurality of first yarns separately to the needles during rotary knitting of a first fabric section so that any one yarn appears only in recurring courses, feeding a second yarn to needles during reciprocatory knitting of a second fabric section while progressively idling the needles by at least one needle for each rotary movement of the needle cylinder for a plurality of movements and progressively returning the needles into action by at least one needle for each rotary movement of the needle cylinder for a plurality of movements, feeding any one of said first yarns and also feeding the second yarn to a few needles while knitting a final course in the second fabric section and then feeding said first yarns separately to the needles during rotary knitting of a third fabric section so that any one of said first yarns appears only in recurring courses.

3. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine of a type having first and second serially arranged knitting stations which includes the steps of feeding a first yarn to all of the needles and drawing stitches therewith at the first knitting station, feeding a second yarn l0 to all; of theflneedles, and "drawing, stitches therewith at thenseco'nd knitting,station-.iduring rotary knitting' of a first. fabric section, ,thenfeeding'. only a third yarntt'o needles) landl drawing stitches. therewith at the'firs't knitting ,sta.tionnduringnreciprocatoryknitting of a second fabric. section, then feeding the first andrthird yarnsflto afewtneedlesandadrawing a few stitches therewith at thelfirsfl knittihgistation during the knitting o'f thefinal course. in the second fabric section, then feeding-only the first yarn to needles and, drawing stitches therewith at the first. knitting station to complete the "latter course, resumingrotaryknitting while feeding the-first yarn and drawingstitblies therewith" at the first knitting station for at least .aiportion of acou-rse immediately succeeding the finaltcour'se in the second fabric section, feeding; the first and secondyar'n's to a few needlesand drawing'stitches therewith at-thefirst knitting station only, then feeding thesfirst'yarnto all-the needlesand'forining' stitches there with' attlie first feeding station,- and feeding the second yarntto all thesneedles and forming stitches" therewitli at theis'eclond knitting station with a plurality of successive revolutions of the .needle' rc'yli'riderivduring rotary knitting to form athirdfabric' section. w

4. methodof'khitt'in'g on a circular knitting machine of atype having" first andisec'ond serially arran'gedyarn feeding stations and respective first, and second serially arra ged ,kinittihg sta'tions whicli, includes the steps of feeding afir'styarn to all of "the needles at the first feeding station and drawing stitches therewitnat the'fir'st knitting station, feeding a second yarn to all of the needles at the second feeding station and drawing stitches therewith at the second knitting station during rotary knitting of a first fabric section, then knitting solely from a third yarn by feeding only the third yarn to needles at the first feeding station and drawing stitches therewith at the first knitting station during reciprocatory knitting of a second fabric section, then feeding the first and third yarn to a few needles at the first feeding station and drawing a few stitches therewith at the first knitting station during the knitting of the final course in the second fabric section, then feeding only the first yarn at the first feeding station and drawing stitches therewith at the first knitting station to complete the latter course, resuming rotary knitting while feeding the first yarn at the first feeding station and drawing stitches at the first knitting station for at least a portion of a course immediately succeeding the final course in the second fabric section, feeding the first yarn at the first yarn feeding station and the second yarn at the second yarn feeding station to a few of the needles and drawing stitches therewith at the first knitting station only, then feeding the first yarn at the first feeding station and form-ing stitches therewith at the first knitting station and feeding the second yarn at the second feeding station and forming stitches therewith at the second knitting station in knitting successive courses with a plurality of successive revolutions of the needle cylinder dun'ng rotary knitting to form a third fabric section.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a cylinder with needles and means for effecting rotary and reciprocatory movement to said cylinder in alternation; the combination of a main station with first and second yarn feeds and first and second main stitch cams, an auxiliary yarn feed and an auxiliary stitch cam at a station spaced circumferentially of the cylinder from the main station, means to move the second yarn feed into operative position, means to raise needles for taking the second yarn for drawing stitches at the first and second main stitch cams in alternation during reciprocatory movements of the cylinder, means to move the first yarn feed into operative position while knitting a final course during reciprocatory knitting to cause needles to take both the first and second yarns for drawing stitches at one of said main stitch cams, means to then withdraw the second yarn feed to cause needles to take only the first yarn to draw stitches there;

with at said one of said main stitch cams to complete said final course, said first yarn being taken by all the needles and stitches drawn therewith at the other. main stitch cam during the next succeeding rotary movement of said cylinder, means for moving the auxiliary yarn feed into operative position, means to raise all the needles to take the auxiliary yarn during said last-mentioned rotary movement, means to move said auxiliary stitch cam into operative position upon a few of said needles having taken said auxiliary yarn whereby stitches are drawn with the remaining needles as they pass the auxiliary stitch cam and whereby said few of the needles draw stitches with both the first and auxiliary yarns and said remaining needles draw stitches with the first yarn only at said other main stitch cam during the next succeeding revolution of the cylinder, and whereby all needles take and knit said first and auxiliary yarns in alternation to knit a plurality of successive courses in rotary knitting in which the first and auxiliary yarns appear in respective alternate and intervening courses.

6. A structure according to claim 5 wherein said machine has a circular series of sinkers co-operating with said needles, an auxiliary sinker withdrawing cam disposed adjacent said auxiliary yarn feed, and means operable automatically to move said auxiliary sinker cam .into operative position for withdrawing the sinkers whenever the auxiliary stitch cam is operative and to move the sinker cam to inoperative position whenever the auxiliary stitch cam is inoperative.

7. A structure according to claim 5, wherein said auxiliary stitch cam is in the form of a radially movable needle lowering cam, a needle raising cam arranged to move successive needles upwardly after they have passed the first knitting station and in advance of the lowering cam to take yarn in the hooks of the latter needles so the lowering cam then moves successive needles downwardly to draw stitches therewith with movement of the needles in one direction, and cam means disposed subsequent to the needle lowering cam for deflecting successive needles upwardly sufliciently to move the latches thereof upwardly through the stitches thus formed.

8. A structure according to claim 7 including means 1 to move the needle raising cam into and out of operative position, and means to move the latter needle lowering cam from inoperative to operative position a predetermined period after each time the needle raising cam is moved into operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,317,897 Scott Oct. 7, 1919 2,473,975 St. Pierre June 21, 1949 2,525,704 Miller Oct. 10, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 107,712 Australia June 14, 1939 

